Springfield, MA --- Senior Lauren Hannmann (East Greenbush, NY) scored 18 points and freshman Dani Davis (East Granby, CT) added 14 to lead their WPI women's basketball team to a 63-50 victory over Springfield College in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference game this afternoon at SC's Blake Arena.

With its third straight win, WPI raised its record to 7-10 overall, 5-9 in the NEWMAC. Springfield is now 11-10 overall, 7-7 in the conference.

For the Pride, senior forward Kelly Slattery (Somers, CT) topped its scorers with 18 points, adding six rebounds. The only other double-figure scorer was junior guard Meghan Biondolillo (Levittown, CT) with 11 points. Freshman forward Jaimie Bickehaupt (Brookfield, CT) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

The difference in this game was WPI's defensive effort throughout, but mainly in the first half. The Engineers limited SC to just four made baskets in 26 attempts, a .154 shooting percentage from the floor in that half. For the game, SC could muster just a .259 percentage from the field (14-of-54).

Meanwhile, WPI shot a decent .478 percentage in that first half (11-of-23), ultimately giving WPI a 29-15 advantage at the intermission.

After junior forward Theresa Logan (Southboro, MA) had leaked out for a fast-break lay up at the 15:34 mark, the Engineers had opened up an early 10-4 lead with Springfield burning its first timeout of the afternoon. Things didn't get better for the Pride as WPI continued to take advantage of Springfield's shooting troubles, extending its lead to 20-6 on a senior guard Baillie McNally (Mapleville, RI) three-point play.

The Pride answered with five straight points, including a gritty three-point play by senior guard Andrea Butler (Cohoes, NY) to get within nine, 20-11, with 6:52 remaining.

But WPI scored nine of the half's final 13 points to close the half. Of WPI's 29 points, 16 were scored in the paint.

When McNally hit a 3-point shot with 18:13 left in the game, WPI had its largest lead at 36-19. A Hanneman jumper with 15:13 left matched that 17-point margin at 38-21.

Springfield then put on its best sustained push of the game when it scored the next 12 points, culminated by a 3-point shot by Biondolillo with 9:28 remaining. That cut WPI's edge to 38-33.

A 3-point shot by WPI sophomore guard Kelly Morgan (Brookline, NH) put a halt to that streak, however. Later, with four minutes to go straight up, Davis hit another 3-pointer to give the Engineers a 51-39 lead.

Springfield put together a little run that cut the lead to six (56-50) with 47 seconds left. Seconds later, down 57-50, Biondolillo had an open 3-pointer that could have cut the lead to four points with 37 seconds left -- but that proved to be SC's last hurrah.

Springfield had the advantage in rebounding, 42-36, but would commit 22 turnovers to WPI's 19. Both teams shot well from the free throw line -- SC .913 (21-of-23), WPI .792 (19-of-24).

Springfield next plays at Coast Guard Wednesday, February 8, at 5:30pm.  WPI returns home the same day to take on Mount Holyoke at 7pm.

Release Courtesy Springfield Sports Information